San Juan Record Classifieds, Events, Businesses In Monticello, San Juan County, Utah

Dec 04, 2013 | 6514 views | 0 | 1455 | |

by Tad Barton

Winter sports got rolling this past week at San Juan High School. Both the boys and girls basketball teams played their first games on Tuesday night. The Lady Broncos hit the road to travel to Whitehorse, while the boys hosted Shiprock, N.M.

Coach Justin Moon’s Lady Bronco squad picked up a win, 66-40. One concern facing the Lady Broncos this basketball season is the lack of a proven scorer. Those fears were silenced, at least for now, as the Broncos used a balanced attack and team effort on their way to picking up the win.

San Juan wasted no time jumping out to an early 10-point lead after the first quarter, 14-4.

In the second quarter, the Broncos added another 14 points while the Raiders doubled their first quarter points, scoring eight, resulting in a 28-12 Bronco lead at the half.

In the third quarter it was more of the same with San Juan exploding for 20 points to Whitehorse’s 14. Heading into the final quarter, the Broncos led 48-26. Trailing by 22, the Raiders kept fighting, adding another 14 points to their total, but the Lady Broncos were just too much as they added another 18 points in the quarter and secured the win 66-40.

Coach Moon is pleased with his team’s performance, saying, “Tuesday night vs. Whitehorse was a team effort. All 12 girls had chances to score and all 12 girls contributed. We were very balanced scoring. We do need to improve our free throw percentage and also defensively.”

Moon then added, “The girls showed the character of this team by never giving up on plays, and by supporting each other all night.”

Heidi Hiatt led all scorers with 16 points; she also added three steals, two rebounds and had one three-point field goal.

She is followed in scoring by Emily Royer, Rashee Morris and Sarah Morley who each chipped in 10 points. Royer also had four steals and three rebounds, while Morris added two steals and two rebounds as well as two three pointers and Morley pulled down eight rebounds.

Whitehorse is paced by Yvette Whitehorse and Raphaela Filfred, who each had 13 points for the Raiders.

San Juan’s next game is scheduled for Wednesday, December 4 against Green River at 7:30 p.m.

On Friday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. the Lady Broncos host Whitehorse.

On Tuesday, December 10 they head north to take on Monticello. That game has a 7 p.m. tipoff time.

San Juan’s boys didn’t fair quite as well as the girls did, as they dropped their season opener to Shiprock, N.M. 79-69.

Both teams came out in the first quarter and traded baskets for the better part of the period. When the whistle blew to signal the end of the first, San Juan trailed 17-16.

The lead would go back and forth throughout the second quarter. Shiprock outscored San Juan again and took a 35-32 lead to the locker room.

In the third quarter, the Chieftains opened up their lead, outscoring the Broncos 27-16, and headed into the final stanza with a 14-point lead, 62-48.

San Juan would battle back in the fourth quarter, pulling within five on two different occasions. Shiprock responded every time San Juan made a run. The Broncos played tough down to the wire, scoring 21 points in the fourth while holding Shiprock to 17 points.

Ultimately it wasn’t enough to overcome the Chieftain’s big third quarter and the Broncos lost by a final of 79-69.

San Juan was led by juniors DiQuan Lopez and Max Morley, who combined for 33 points. Lopez had 18, while Morley added 15.

Off the bench, the Broncos got solid minutes and contributions from freshman Jordan Blake and sophomore Caleb Pugh, who scored seven and six points in the loss. Lopez also led the Broncos in rebounds with 12, and steals with five.

The Broncos next play on the road against Aztec, NM on Tuesday, December 4 at 7 p.m. They hit the road again on December 6-7 when they head to Gunnison, UT for the Bulldog Invitational. Their opponent and time of their first game is TBD at print.

On Tuesday, December 10 San Juan remains on the road, traveling to Whitehorse. Tipoff for that game is set for 7 p.m.

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